8 replies to this topic

[Matthias1967]

Hello,

I need to merge a merge module into an MSI database. The MSI database is created with InstallShield; however I cannot perform the merge at MSI build time. So I need a merge tool. MSDN says

[KathyMorey]

I'm a little confused. Did you build the MSI with InstallShield from your own project, or are you trying to merge additional components directly into an already compiled MSI?

[Matthias1967]

I do try to merge additional components directly into an already compiled MSI.

In our workflow, it is necessary to keep some components exchangeable.

[Zweitze]

What do you want the tool to do?

If you need an unattended merge: Orca has command switches, one of them is just merge the MSM and exit.

[Matthias1967]

Yes, I have tried Orca, and is nearly fine. However, I still wonder whether there are other tools.

My main requirement is "unattended" merging that can be called from a script, indeed.

[Stefan Krueger]

Have you seen this blog:
http://www.msigeek.c...nts-to-msi.html

[Matthias1967]

Thank you Stefan.

I had not seen it before, but I am going to try...

I had thought msimerg.exe is actually only for merging the contents of two MSIs.

[Matthias1967]

I do not think msimerg is the kind of tool I am looking for.

According to the MSI SDK documentation, it is based on the function MsiDatabaseMerge, which just tries to merge the data from two databases together, without connecting components of the MSM to features of the base MSI etc.

When I tried msimerg, it threw an error 1629, referred me to the table _MergeErrors, but here is no such table in either of the databases.

I am not going to touch msimerg in more detail....

[angp]

You can use the msidb.exe to merge the msm.
Msidb is from SDK. u can get the help by typing msidb /?

Thanks,
Pek Yong